Discover the Secrets to a Working ENTP Relationship

ENTP relationships typically endure a lot of change and growth. This Myers-Briggs personality is described as being extraverted, intuitive, thinking, and perceiving. The ENTP has an impulsive nature and will typically seek a partner with whom they can explore new possibilities and achieve personal growth. This type of persona finds a great deal of happiness in trying to improve the relationship and in finding ways to keep the connection from turning stagnant.

ENTP Characteristics

In the world of Myers-Briggs personalities, the ENTP is referred to as the “visionary.” This type of individual is primarily driven by an extraverted intuition which means that they are intrigued by what goes on in their environment and will likely base their opinions and actions on feelings rather than an internal, logical thought process. This individual pays a great deal of attention to the situations and people around them and will gain a very quick and accurate idea about what is going on. These individuals tend to excel in academics, politics, and business.

Although generally laid-back in nature, easy to talk to, and often possessed of a great sense of humor, ENTP characters can also come off as argumentative. This persona loves the thrill of engaging in a debate and may or may not be concerned about the topic being discussed. In most cases, however, this type of individual will have fairly good knowledge and interest in the topic. For some, especially those who are a little less mature than they could be, the desire to engage in a thrilling debate or argument could be so compelling that they will continuously push through the debate even if they do not care for or even support their own side of the argument. This can be annoying and infuriating to friends, family members, and partners, especially those who may not understand that ENTP isn’t trying to emotionally attack or humiliate them – “visionaries” simply love the thrill of having their wit tested on the spot and view this sort of situation as a mental exercise.

ENTP is all about possibilities and knowledge. This individual is skilled in brainstorming and is often viewed by others as an “idea person.” Some ENTPs will have several plans and ideas going on at once and although the plans may be sound, this kind of person will often lack the determination to put their ideas into action. One such individual may be wonderful at creating concepts and might even get started on implementing a project, but will eventually lose interest in the “work” before it is complete. This might be a side effect of having so many new ideas developing at once which causes the ENTP to quickly lose interest in a current project.

This outgoing individual is a great speaker and has a knack for engaging others in witty conversation. Their mind works quickly and they are often able to respond rapidly to inquiries. In a typical conversation this persona has the ability to keep a conversation going by adding new ideas or coming up with humorous anecdotes on-the-fly. For all of ENTP’s ability to quickly absorb information from his or her surroundings, the area in which this personality struggles the most tends to be in the sensing-feeling department. This persona may inadvertently hurt others’ feelings, fail to truly listen to others, and may come across as aggressive in some situations. An underdeveloped “visionary” may not even think to ask if a partner, friend, or co-worker has an opinion or feelings about the matter at hand. In fact, this issue can be so badly undeveloped in an individual that he or she simply doesn’t care what others have to say or refuses to give any consideration to the input of other people. Mature, well-rounded “visionaries,” on the other hand, can learn to value input from other people and can even inspire others to utilize their idea-forming skills.

ENTP Relationships

In order to be successful, ENTP relationships need to move through several levels of evolution. The “visionary” is a learner and an idea-driven individual who is always looking for ways to improve a relationship. This doesn’t necessarily mean that all ENTPs are going to be looking for crazy ways to spice things up, but they are going to be looking for new experiences to share with their companion. This type of individual will often come up with new ways to surprise their companion (in a good way), although the motive force behind this type of action is the testing of one’s creativity. “Visionaries” love a challenge and being able to come up with a new and more impressive surprise for a partner is just the sort of test that this sort of persona craves.

This sort of relationship is usually filled with fun and exciting ventures into the unknown, but the “visionary’s” need to constantly upgrade and polish such a personal connection can become tiring for a companion. “Visionaries” are not very in-tune with their companions’ feelings and may easily overlook signs of unhappiness. If a visionary becomes overzealous in their attempts to refine a relationship, the partner may feel as though he or she isn’t doing a good enough job fulfilling their role or that they are somehow not meeting up to scratch. In cases like this, the partner needs to be able to remember that the ENTP’s behavior is most likely not personal. In fact, their actions will likely help to strengthen the relationship in the long run. However, should the partner begin to feel undervalued or simply overtaxed with constant rearrangement of a relationship’s boundaries and expectations, these concerns should definitely be brought to light with the ENTP.

This persona is happiest when they are paired with an individual who possesses a similar level of intellect because ENTP will rely a great deal on stimulating conversation. That is not to say that the partner of an ENTP need be of genius capacity, however it would be necessary for the individual to share a passion for knowledge and to have similar interests as their “visionary.” For instance, a visionary who has a great sense of humor and/or a passion for comedy would definitely need to be paired with an individual who can appreciate and reciprocate their partner’s sense of humor or share a similar interest that would allow the couple to pursue related activities, such as going to comedy clubs.

Compatible Personality Types

The ENTP character has the potential to get along with several personalities, such as the ESFJ (extraverted, sensing, feeling, judging), ENFJ (extraverted, intuitive, feeling, judging), and ISFJ (introverted, sensing, feeling, judging); but the most compatible personalities for the ENTP are INTJ (introverted, intuitive, thinking, judging) and INFJ (introverted, intuitive, feeling, judging). Introverted intuitive types tend to crave knowledge and have an appreciation for intelligence. They have the ability to carry on an interesting conversation on topics that they find intriguing, although getting them to talk about personal things can be a lot more difficult. The INTJ and INFJ types tend to be brainy and often have interests in science. This shared love of knowledge, sense of self-confidence, and perfectionist tendencies makes them great companions for “visionaries.”

Relationship Guidance for the ENTP

As an ENTP you are probably liked by many people because you are so easy to get along with. You’re outgoing, quick as a whip, and you love trying new things. Although these traits are among your best features, they can also cause some issues in a relationship. A companion might feel threatened by your self-confidence and your brainy nature. This is especially true if you tend to prefer your own intelligence and uncanny skills for churning out ideas over the suggestions and ideas of others. Your partner might feel that you are taking a bigger role in the relationship by constantly trying to change and re-mold your bond. This, paired with a tendency to overlook the needs of your companion, can be a recipe for relationship disaster. Try to slow down and genuinely listen to your partner’s suggestions. You might be surprised to learn that your ideas aren’t the only ones worth using!

You love to try new activities and revel in the chance to learn something new. You would do well to find a partner who can share in your enthusiasm. A willingness to try new things is a definite trait that your companion should have, otherwise you may begin to resent him or her for holding you back from the things you want to experience. Even if your partner is happy to let you do as you please, you would probably prefer to share such experiences with your mate. With strong “thinking” traits, you might find that you are initially attracted to those with prominent “feeling” traits because, quite frankly, they are your polar opposite. You aren’t as in touch with your own feelings and being around someone who knows emotion very well can be intriguing. Unfortunately, “feeling” individuals require emotional responses from their partners and this is a task that you might find very difficult to perform. Other “thinking” types will be more understanding (and compatible) with your character type.

Your love for debate can get you into a lot of relationship trouble. You might find it rousing to engage in a witty argument just for the sake of it, but your companion may being to feel as though you are attacking them. An intelligent debate once in a while is perfectly fine – in fact your mate may find it equally as stimulating – but frequent arguments, especially over hollow topics which do not really concern you, can be harmful to the relationship. Remember that unless your other half is also an ENTP, he or she may not understand the thrill that you receive from participating in (and winning) an argument.

Tips for Dating an ENTP Personality

Having a serious relationship with an ENTP may take some work but the results usually pay off for the right couple. The first thing that you must understand is that this individual is known for engaging in quick-witted debates. Some partners find this difficult to believe that these debates are not personal nature. For the “visionary,” a debate is seen as a way to exercise the brain, not a way to belittle others. In order to make this relationship work you will have to understand this particular quirk in your partner’s character and learn to indulge them. In fact, showing them your own brainy side is a sure way to garner their interest.

In addition to satisfying an ENTP’s need for debate, you should be able to prove your worth as an intellectual peer. Offer your problem-solving abilities or challenge your companion to a game of wit and strategy, such as chess. If your intellectual prowess simply isn’t all that you wish it to be, try compensating by showcasing your openness for trying new things. Plan an adventurous outing or pick your significant other’s brain to find out what things they would like to do (but haven’t done yet). Showing that you are capable of going with the flow and aren’t afraid of a little excitement will score big points with your mate.

Your significant other will often be wondering of ways that they can improve the relationship. They might ask questions like, “Where is this relationship going,” and “Are we growing together?” ENTPs relish the thought of improvement and will seek ways to improve all parts of their lives, especially a romantic relationship. In order to be truly happy, this individual will constantly ask him or her self what they can do to improve the relationship so that you both have the chance to evolve together. Your partner isn’t going to stick around if they feel that they aren’t getting anywhere. Express your willingness to grow both as an individual and as a member of the relationship and encourage your partner to do the same. Try asking yourself if there are areas that you feel need work and take actions to manifest a positive change.